Machine for knotting the ends of spiral springs



(No Model.) i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. FRASER. 1 MACH-INE POR KNOTTING THE ENDS 0F SPIRAL SPRINGS. N0. 481,396. Patented Allg. 23, 1892.v

3J QL@ @M4 -CMMM (No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

P. FRASER. MACHINE POR KNOTTING THE E NDSYOP SPIRAL SPRINGS. No. 481,396. Patented Aug. 23, 1892.

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In gn.; y d uw I y? y Ms forli/@cys l Unirse STATES IPATENT Dwice.

PETER FRASER, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ATLAS TACK CORPGRATION, OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR KNOTTING THE ENDS OF SPIRAL SPRINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. 481,396, dated August 23, 1892.

Application filed January 19, 1892. Serial No. 418,553. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER FRASER, of Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Knotting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following' to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention has for its object to provide a machine for knotting or uniting sections of wire by twisting the same together, the machine shown being particularly adapted for knotting or securing the ends of wire springs used in upholstering, bed-bottoms, tbc.

The invention consists, tlrst,in a clamp for holding the portions to be united firmly in position, with a rotary twister-head adapted to wrap one portion around the other; secondly, in a clamp having oppositely-moving jaws in combination with said movable twister-head, whereby the knot is at once released aft-er being formed; thirdly, it consists in moving the twister-head and clamping-jaws, or either of them, by foot-treadles, with means for rotatingthe twister-head when brought to operative position, and, finally, the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a knetter constructed in accordance with my present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view looking at the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a top plan of the head of the machine. Fig. 4t is a side elevation of the hammer. Fig. 5 is a detail of the movable carriage for the twister-head, showing the rotating gears. Fig. 6 is a section through the same on line o; :n of Fig. l. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail perspectives of the twister-head. Fig. 9 is a section of the same. Fig. 10 is a detail elevation of the clampingjaws and the operating mechanism therefor. Fig. 10a is an edge view of the jaws, showing the two yokes for moving the upper jaw.

Fig. 1l is a view of a knot formed by the machine.

Like letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The machine illustrated for carrying the invention into practice is what may be termed an upright machine, the main frame A being screwed down or otherwise securely held in position and carries the clam ping and knotting mechanisms at a convenient height to receive the sections of wire presented by the operator, who stands or is seated in front of the machine.

The clamp is provided with jaws C C', which open at approximately the levelof the upper end of the frame, and are preferably operated by mechanism, to be hereinafter specilioally described, to grasp and hold the two sections of wire firmly in position, one slightly in advance of the other.J Thus in knotting the ends of springs the coil lies in front, as at C8, and the end slightly in rear thereof, as at o9, Fig. 3, the length of the end beyond the clamp being determined by an adjustable gage C9 on the carriage'B. Besides carrying the clamp, the upper end of the frame constitutes, in eifect, a guide, upon which slides the knottingmechanism carriage B, for which purpose the frame is provided with tlanges a, Figs. 3 and 6, which fit within recesses in the carriage formed by plates b.

Journaled transversely in the top of the carriage B is what I term the twister-head, consisting, essentially, of the disk or faceplate D, Working close to the fiat side face of the clamping-jaws, and a tubular cylindrical extension D', taking a bearing in the outer portion of the carriage. (See Fig. 9.) The twister-head has a central perforation d, beveled or flared outward evenly at cl in the cylindrical prolongation, and on one sidea slot d2 is formed, extending out to the periphery, and through which the strand around which the end is to be knotted may pass to the center of the twister-head, which position it occupies while the head is revolving. A groove d3, Fig. S, is formed in the face of the disk D at one side of the slot d2, preferably merging into the same at the point where they both enter IOO the central opening cl. This groove is ap# proximately of Athe size of the wire operated upon, and extends across the periphery of the disk, as shown at d4, Fig. 7. Thus it will be seen that when the two sections of wire are inserted, as in Fig. 3, one section e8 will be in position to enter the slot d2 as the twister-head and carriage are raised, and the end cg will be in position to enter the groove d4. As the twister-head rises the end in the groove is bent up in the groove cl3 at right angles to the other section, which passes into the central opening, and it is only necessary then to rotate the head to wind the end closely and uniformly around'th'e section in the central opening and form a knot of the character shown in Fig. 1l.

Many mechanisms, it is obvious, may be employed to rotate the twister-headl and to move the carriage con taining the same with relation to the clamping-jaws, or for moving the latter bodily with relation to the said twisterhead; but I have devised and successfully used a simple mechanism of great power and convenience, as follows: The carriage B, as before explained, is mounted to slide vertically (or transversely to the strands of wire) on the frame, and to its lower portion I connect a link E, formed into a rack-bar at the lower end, which meshes with a pinion or idler E', journaled loosely on the frame, preferably on the shaft H, journaled in the frame. Pivoted on the frame, at one side of and below the pinion E', is a segmental rack E2, to which is connected (or forming a part of which is) a foot-leverE, in the present instance having a sole-piece for the foot, being adapted to move away from and toward the operator, who occupies a seat I, supported from the frame by arms and braces t'. As the lever is moved of course the pinion is rotated and the carriage raised or lowered, as the ease may be,a guide or stay-roller E4 being employed to hold the link E in mesh with the pinion, as will be readily understood.

Immediately behind the disk D on the twister-head is mounted a gear-wheel F, with a slot between two of its teeth corresponding to the slot dsaid wheel forming, practically, a part of the head, and below the head a larger gear-wheel F is mounted on a shaftf, jonrnaled in the carriage and carrying on its outer end a crank-handle f. The gears F F intermesh, as shown in Fig. 5, and when the handle is moved the twister-head is caused to rotate. I prefer to so proportion the gears and adj ust the handle that one complete revolution of the handle gives the twister-head the desired number of turns, the hand always stopping at the lowest point of its travel, when it is out of the way and in position to enable the operator to exert the greatest power as the head is started. The only portion of the twister-head subjected to ygreat wear and strain is the center of the disk including the end of the partition between the groove d3 and the slot d2, and this portion (lettered G in the drawings) I preferably make removable and of hardened steel, with a setscrew g for holding the same in place. Turning now to the clamp, Figs. l, 2, 3, 6, and 10, it will be seen that the jaws C C are formed on the upper ends of bars C2 C3, fittingsnugly and capable of longitudinal movement in a recess formed in the side of ,the frame next to the twister-head, bringing the jaws in position to grasp the wires close up to the said head. The lower ends of the bars C2 C3 lie in proximity to the shaft H, and the one C3, carrying the lower jaw C ,is connected by means of the toggle-link c with the cam c', mounted rigidly on the shaft H, and the other bar C2 is connected to the upper ends of yokes c2, lying on each side of the cam and connected thereto by a crank pin or bearing c3 on the side of the shaft opposite to connection of the toggle-link c. The link c, preferably,has enlarged circular or disk-shaped ends fitting corresponding bearings in the bar and cam, respectively, to move the jaw positively in both directions, and it is held in place by yokes c2, which fit closely up on each side of the same, as shown clearly in Figs. 10 and 10a. The yokes have enlarged openings 7c, through which the shaft H passes, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 10, and in order to positively open or close the jaws simultaneously it is only necessary to turn the shaft H, as by a foot-lever K, similar in all respects to the lever E3, before described, and adapted to be operated in the same manner. For instance, if the jaws are open, a forward movement of the foot-lever turns the shaft and its attached cam c', forcing the toggle-link aud bar C3 and jaw C upward and simultaneously draws the yokes c2, bar C2, and jaw Cdownward, grasping the Wires rmly without moving the same from their position. Of course a single movable jaw-such as C-conld be employed, permitting the jaw C to remain stationary; but in operation the knot is formed against one side of the jaws, and if only one were moved the knot would not clear and be so easily removed from the machine. Hence I employ the double jaws, which open and leave the knot entirely free.

. An anvil L is located on one side of the frame having a die thereon, in which the knot after being formed may be placed and struck ablow with the pivotal hammer M to securely fix it in place on the other wire. The hammer is pivoted to an arnrm on the frame and its weight is partially counterbalanced by a longspring N, as shown.

From the foregoing the operation will now be readily understood and is as follows: The operator first grasps the spring andplaces the last two coils at one end between the jaws C C', with the end of the last coil against the gage C, as shown clearly in the top plan view, Fig. 3. He thenbrings the jaws together by pressing the foot-lever K forward, and the wires are held rigidly in such position that the strand c8 is just above the slot d2 in the IIO twister-head, and the end a9 is just above the groove d3 d4 in said head. The carriage B,

carrying the twister-head, is now elevated by pressing the foot-lever E forward, causing the strand o8 to pass through the slot d2 into theV central openingd of the twister-head and the end c9 to be bent at a right angle in the groove or channel cl3 in the face of the twister-head or disk D, the flat side of the clamping-jaws serving to retain the said end in the groove.

only necessary to rotate the latter, carrying the end of the wire in the groove d2 to wrapf said end closely around the strand cs. The end of the wire, while it cannot escape laterally from the groove d2, draws readily toward the center as it is wrapped around the strand cs. A knot is shown in Fig. l1, and after it is formed, as just described, the carriage is lowered, the strand e8 and knot passing out through the slot cl2 and occupying a position above the twister-head. Then the jaws are opened, the spring removed, and the knot is struck a blow with the hammer, being for this purpose placed on the anvilL. This last step is found highly desirable, particularly in spring-knotting for ine upholstering, and practice has demonstrated that a blow is much more effective than a powerful slowly-acting clamp, seeming to set the metal perfectly against any possibility of springing back.

By employ-ing the two movable jaws instead of one two material advantages are gained: First, I am enabled to get a very much more powerful action, as the operating mechanism for each, which is in effect a toggle, is enabled to approach very close, indeed, to the central line, and at the same time the jaws may be separated widelywithoutsacriticing the power in the least, and, secondly, bymovingboth jaws the knot is at once cleared and may be removed easily,a fact fully demonstrated in the actual operation of the machine, as with one movable jaw the knot hangs in the jaws, while with both jaws movable it clears at once and the operator is enabled to knot many more springs in a days work.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In awire-knotting machine, the combination, with the clamp for holding the sections of wire to be united, of the rotary twister-head movable bodily with relation to the clamp, substantially as described.

2. In a wire-knottin g machine, the combination, with the clamp for holding the sections of wire, of the twister-head mounted ina car-Y riage movable toward and from the clamps and means for rotating said head, substantially as described.

3. In a wire-knotting machine, the combination, with .the clamp for holding the sections of wire, of the twister -head, the carriage in which the twister-head is journaled movable toward and from the clamps, and the gear wheel carried by the carriage for rotating said head, substantially as described.

4. In a wire-knotting machine, the combination, with the frame having the guideway thereon and the clamp for holding the sections of wire, of the carriage held by the guideway on the frame and movable toward and from the clamp and the rotary twister-head mounted in the carriage, substantially as described.

5. In a wire-knotting machine, the combination, with the frame having the guideway thereon and the clamp for holding the sections of wire, of the carriage held by the guideway on the frame and movable toward and from the clamp, the rotary twister-head j ournaled in the carriage and having the gearwheel thereon, the gear-wheel meshing with the gearwheel on the twister-head, and the crank-han die for rotating` the same, substantially as described.

6. In a wire-knotting machine, the combination, with the frame having the guideway thereon and the clamp for holding the sections of wire, of the carriage held by the guideway on the frame and movable toward and from the clamp, the rotary twister-head j ournaled in. the carriage and having the gear wheel thereon, the gear-wheel of greater diameter also journaled in the carriage and meshing with the first-mentioned gear-wheel, and the crank-handle connected therewith for rotating the gears and twister-head, substantially as described.

7. In a wire-knotting machine, the combination, with the transversely-movable rotary twister-head having the central opening and a groove in its face leading into said central opening, of the relatively stationary clamp lying in proximity to the twister-head, whereby as the twister-head is moved one strand of the wire is bent at an angle in the groove and when rotated it is wrapped around the other strand of Vthe wire, substantially as described.

8. In a wire-knotting machine, the combination, with the transversely-movable rotary twister-head having the central opening, a slot from said opening to the exterior, and the groove in the face of the head merging into the central opening, of the relatively stationary clamp against which said twisterhead works, whereby as the twister-head is moved one section of wire passes into the central opening through the slot and the other section of wire is bent at right angles and wrapped around the first-named section as the head rotates, substantially as described.

9. In a wire-knotting machine, the combination, with the transversely-movable rotary twister-head having the flat face, the central opening, a slot from said opening to the eXterior, and the groove in the hat face separated from the slot at the periphery of the head and merging into the same at the central IOO IIO

4"opening, of the `clamping-jaws having` the fiati` face'against which the fiatl faceof the twister# headl'works, substantiallyas described.

10. In a wire-knotting machine, the combi-` nation, with the transversely-movable rotary twister-head, of `the `clampin proximity to said head having the two movable jaws, with mechanism for opening and'closin g said jaws simultaneously, substantially as described.

'11. In a wire-knotting machine, the `combination, with the frame andthe twister-head mounted thereon, ot the clamp `having the jaws formedy on bars sliding in a recess in the frame adjacent to the twister head, with means' for moving said jaws simultaneously in opposite ldirections, substantially as described.

i12.`:1n a wire-knotting machine, the combi- =nation,witl1 the twister-head, ot the co-oper ating clamping-jaws, the bar. carrying one of1 said jaws,'the operatingshaft "and rtreadle Atherefor,'the crank-pin moved by .theshaft, and the yoke connecting `said pin `withA the bar carrying the clamping-jaw, substantially as. described.

13. In a'wire-knotting machine, the combi! nation, with the twister-head, of the oppo-1` 1sitely-arranged clamping-jaws and bars .car-

ryingthesama the operating-shaft therefor,` carryingl the cam, andV `connections between therespective bars and cam on'opposite sidesly ofthe shaftywhereby the jaws are lmoved in? opposite directions as the shaft is rotated,r substantially-as described. 1-

. 14. 'In a wireknotting machine, the combi-l 'nation, with the twister-head, of the oppo-j sitely-arranged clampingjaws an'dbars on vwhich they Iare mounted,y the operating-shaft f therefor, the cam secured rigidly on said shaft;y theyokes connected to one ot' said bars and Vtothe cam` at one side ot the shat'nand the toggle-link connecting the other bar and the opposite sideof the cam, substantiallyjas de-` scribed.

15. In a Wire-knotting machine, the combination, with the twister head, of the i oppol sitely-arranged lclampingjaws and bars on which they are mounted, the operating-shaft therefor, theca-m secured rigidly onsaid shaft, thetoggle-link. uniting 'the cam and one bar at=one side of the shaft, andthe'yokes ariranged on each side of the Lcam and` togglelink and connecting theother bar with the cani on theopposite side ofthe shaft,fsub

`stantially as described.

16. In a `wire-knotting machine,thecombi nation, Withthe clamp and the twister-head -journaled in a movablecarriage, of the link connected to the carriage, the idler-wheel engaging said link, and the footftreadleco-op- 1erating-with the wheel to rotate the same'and move the carriage, substantiallyas described.

`17. In a wire-knotting machine, the combination, with the clamp, the twister-head, and

thermovable carriage in which the twisterhead is` jonrnaled, ofv the link connected to the carriage and having `its lowenportion formed into a rack-banthe idler-wheel meshing with said rack-bar, the foot-leverwhaving i the segmental rack meshing`with theiidler, andthe guide-rollerl-for holding the link in gear,l substantially as described. 18. In a wire-twisting machine, the comblnation, with the clamp, :the rotary twisteryhead, and the movable carriage in `which the twister-head is jonrnaled, ofthe gagefor determining the length of wiretobe inserted, mounted on the movable carriage, substantially. `as described.

19. In a wire-twisting machine, the combination, with the clamp having the `fiat face,

`oi the rotary twister head movabletransversely with relation to the clamp, having the .groove in its face, journaled with said face in proximity to the fiat tace of the clamp,where by bythe transverse movement the wire held by the clamp may be bent at an angle in the groove, `substantially as described.

20. In a wire-twisting machine, the combilnation,with the `clamp having the tlat face,

of the rotary twister-head `movable transversely witlfrelation to-the clamp, having the central opening andslot, and the groove.' in

`its^face,said head being journaled-With its face in proximity to theiiat face of the-clamp, whereby by the transverse movement the wire held by the clamp may be bent at an angle in 

